Lipofilling

As the skin ages from the age of 30 onwards, there is an increasing shrinkage of the upper skin, the dermis, and the fatty tissue, especially on the cheeks and in the nasolabial area. Consequently, our face will gradually loose volume, i.e., fat. The fatty volume loss is influenced not only by genetics, but also by environmental factors like smoking or hormonal changes. Women often notice in their late 30’s, early 40’s, a volume loss in the lower parts of their cheeks. Due to its rich blood supply, the face is an ideal recipient for fat transfer. Fat transfer procedures can used as a natural filler or can be combined with other surgical procedures, such as eyelid surgery or another facelift procedure benefitting from an additional fat filling.

Lipofilling procedure

Fat is harvested from an area of your body using liposuction. This is extracted from fatty tissue regions such as the buttocks, the lateral hips, or the abdomen. A pump infiltrates a special fluid (tumescent solution) into the region to be sucked, making it painless and bleeding free and softening the fatty tissue. Subsequently, the fatty tissue is gently extracted by means of blunt cannulas (liposuction). The fat will then be purified and carefully transferred into the regions, where a lipofilling is desired. The harvesting process can be either done using a local anesthetic or in combination with another surgical procedure when you are already under general anesthesia.

What kind of complications are expected?

Fat grafting is a procedure in aesthetic plastic surgery that helps patients to smooth and to restore volume to their face leading to a more youthful, healthier appearance. After a liposuction, swellings, occasionally bruising may occur, which usually disappear within 7-10 days. Fat transfer procedures can used as a natural filler or can be combined with other surgical procedures.